1
as in cerebral
much given to learning and thinking
as the daughter of college professors, she's used to being around intellectual people
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in internal
of or relating to the mind
intellectual pursuits such as reading and studying
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3
as in educational
of or relating to schooling or learning especially at an advanced level
research that shows that people from very intellectual backgrounds are happiest with spouses having comparable educations
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as in nerd
a person with strong intellectual interests
discovered that in politics a reputation for being an intellectual was regarded as a liability
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of intellectual
Valerie Mesa, People.com, 29 May 2025
Use it to stretch your intellectual and emotional muscles in low-stakes settings.
—Gerald Bradshaw, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2025
Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025
During the dispute over Babri Masjid, Ashis Nandy, a prominent Indian intellectual, began a series of interviews with R.S.S. members.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for intellectual
Adjective
This surge of intellectual energy will not only inspire a flurry of thoughts but also unlock new perspectives in the process.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 29 May 2025
Use it to stretch your intellectual and emotional muscles in low-stakes settings.
—Gerald Bradshaw, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2025
Noun
This isn't exactly the Cultural Revolution, where Mao Zedong—distrustful of intellectuals and scientists—forced the country's best minds into menial labor.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025
During the dispute over Babri Masjid, Ashis Nandy, a prominent Indian intellectual, began a series of interviews with R.S.S. members.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for intellectual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for intellectual
Adjective
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Once at the hospital, the man was diagnosed with having a cerebral stroke, the lawsuit said.—
Jennifer Rodriguez,
Kansas City Star,
13 May 2025
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This is a person who was an extremely cerebral human being.—
Natasha Gural,
Forbes.com,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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Throughout previous disruptions, maintaining open communication channels with staff and clearly articulating our strategies has proven invaluable, strengthening internal morale and external trust.—
Dmitriy Schwarzburg,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
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For a bunch of silly action movies, McQuarrie and Cruise’s read on the post-9/11 intelligence state is surprisingly adroit: The internal and external warring factions are purely self-interested, and corruption is the coin of the realm.—
Paul A. Thompson,
Pitchfork,
30 May 2025
Noun
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Art history nerds will want to be sure to stop in for a look at one of Pieter Bruegel’s The Tower of Babel (1568) paintings.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
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In the wake of voice actor Pamela Hayden's retirement, The Simpsons' beloved blue-haired nerd Milhouse Van Houten will now be played by singer Kelly Macleod, Entertainment Weekly can exclusively reveal.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
16 May 2025
Adjective
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This philosophical underpinning drives the company beyond mere resurrection spectacles — a critique often levied by academic skeptics following the company’s milestone de-extinction announcement.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
24 May 2025
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Let this serve as a warning to all universities and academic institutions across the country.—
Anna Commander
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 May 2025
Adjective
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Check The Care Label Duvets can be made from a variety of materials, both in outer shell and inner filling, so your first step before washing should always be to check the tag from the manufacturer for specific care instructions.—
Abigail Wilt,
Southern Living,
31 May 2025
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Atherton High School’s colors are then used for the white sneaker’s maroon and gold accents, and the number 80 on the inner tongue appears to be an homage to Ronaldinho.—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
30 May 2025
Noun
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Deadline asks the Festival chief whether Series Mania is focused on the highbrow of the drama spectrum.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
6 Mar. 2025
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Wagner would be a sleepless highbrow’s favorite; the long, lush, unbroken lines of music share with the white-noise hum of the air-conditioner or the thrum of the painstaking lecture the quality of being absorbing without offering undue eventfulness.—
Adam Gopnik,
The New Yorker,
20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Articles appear in scholarly journals, and books are published by university presses, only after a rigorous, double-blind review process.—
James T. Kloppenberg,
Time,
28 May 2025
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Her scholarly work includes works on the Constitution, democracy in America and women’s citizenship.—
Imani Cruzen,
Twin Cities,
20 May 2025
Adjective
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This definition also includes instance in which the victim is incapable of giving consent because of temporary or permanent mental or physical incapacity (include due to the influence of drugs or alcohol) or because of age.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
11 Apr. 2025
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Without supervision or regulation, kids can easily stumble upon explicit material, including violent and extremist content, that can lead to mental distress, desensitization and a warped perception of the world around them.—
Richard Wistocki,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Intellectual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/intellectual. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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